Although gaming has existed in some form for many years, its present familiar form of slot devices, table games, sports books, etc. has mainly developed in the last few decades. In gaming devices such as slot devices, video poker devices, and smart tables, one important device that has been developed to allow players to interact with the gaming device is the touchscreen. Touchscreens typically allow a user to write or draw information on a display screen or select among various regions of the display screen typically by the use of the user's finger or a stylus. This is desirable in gaming settings because a user or player may interact with a gaming device by selecting items or buttons displayed on a display screen or monitor.
Typically, when a gaming operation wants to provide a gaming device that can accommodate a plurality of players, it either has to link independent gaming devices together via a network or provide individual touchscreens at each gaming station at a smart table. Linking independent gaming devices is often less desirable because it is more difficult for players to interact if they are playing a multi-player game, such as “Texas Hold 'em” poker, and it requires more floor space, which is usually at a premium in casinos. Providing smart tables may eliminate some of these disadvantages, but also generates separate problems. One such problem is that it is expensive to design and manufacture smart tables that provide an adequately sized touchscreen monitor without compromising table space that may be used for other aspects of gaming. To compensate for these problems, these devices often must be increased in overall size, which again takes away from usable casino floor space.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide gaming devices with improved features to provide a gaming device structured to have adequately sized touchscreen displays without compromising table surface space.
Also, within a casino or other gaming environment, it is common for players to consume food and/or beverages on or around the gaming devices. Many casinos serve complimentary beverages to players at gaming devices in order to enhance the players' enjoyment and encourage further game play. However, consumption of food and beverages on and around gaming devices can be inconvenient for both the players and the casinos. For instance, players may not have a level and conveniently accessible surface upon which to place their food and beverage items. Furthermore, when food or beverage products are spilled on the gaming devices, the gaming devices can malfunction or require significant clean-up, resulting in downtime and possibly special servicing. Specifically, if food or beverages fall within input/output devices or other areas of the gaming device that lead to electrical or mechanical components, such contamination can cause the electrical or mechanical components to malfunction or operate in a less than optimal manner.
Traditionally, gaming devices have been designed as upright devices with displays positioned generally vertical or as inclined devices with displays tilted about 45 degrees from the horizontal. Both of these designs have facilitated viewing by players, but the upright devices make consumption of food or beverages by players difficult. Typically, food or beverage items are placed between devices or on nearby chairs. The inclined devices often have a horizontal platform in front of the tilted display where a player can place food or beverages. However, this horizontal area often includes a coin tray or other input/output devices, which can be contaminated by spilled food or beverages. One way that gaming devices have been designed to accommodate this problem has been to include drains or drain buckets. For instance, one or more drains can be placed at the bottom of the coin tray or at the base of the horizontal area. However, such solutions still require significant cleaning and maintenance by casino and gaming device personnel.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide gaming devices with improved features to also accommodate food and beverage consumption on or around the improved gaming devices.
These and other problems in conventional gaming devices are addressed by embodiments of the present invention.